


Better Things

by annoyedraccoon



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: M/M, Nanny and Single Parent AU, fic request, this is some of the fluffiest shit i've done
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-15
Updated: 2016-01-15
Packaged: 2018-05-14 03:20:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5727772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annoyedraccoon/pseuds/annoyedraccoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi works hard for his daughter after his ex husband steps out on them. But lucky for the two of them, their idiot nanny sticks around despite the troubles, and Eren does everything he can to help them out when they need it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Better Things

**Author's Note:**

> This was just a little prompt i got on tumblr for a short fic but as always i get way too into story lines to do short fics because it seems im just absolute garbage. But on the bright side, I ended up with this cute little one shot that i felt i could throw on AO3, enjoy!

“You’re still working, Levi?”

Levi peeked up from his computer to see Erwin, who shared his office space, watching him with the slightest concern. Judging by the bag over his shoulder and the fact his reading glasses weren’t in sight, Erwin was leaving for the night.

“Still have some work to finish, Smith.” He answered curtly. He went back to his screen but Erwin lingered.

“You really shouldn’t work this late.” He advised. “I know you’ve been through a rough year but your daughter should really–”

“You don’t have to preach to me about how I never see my kid, Erwin.” Levi snapped. He knew the recent college graduate was only trying to help, but the damn blond was horrible at keeping his thoughts to himself. “Once I start shitting out money I’ll be leaving this place by lunch every day.”

Erwin offered an embarrassed smile. “Sorry Levi. I…I’ll see you Monday.”

Levi nodded in acknowledgment, the comment already forgotten and now he was back to writing reports he didn’t give two shits about. He just had to finish up and then he’d have a whole weekend with Isabel.

He hated being at work–office working wasn’t his passion. He was a writer; mostly just writing his opinions and ideals on bullshit and somehow it got published, but that was what he’d loved to do. And he was free to do it along with part time jobs, even after their daughter Isabel was adopted, all because of his _husband_. He was a kick ass doctor, and could support them by himself with the fat income he earned. But ever since that lovely shit of a man left his family to rot, he’d had to quit. There was no way he’d support his daughter on that paycheck.

Levi would never forgive that man for what he did. He didn’t take as much offense personally; at this point he was over the fact he was apparently never truly loved by the college sweetheart he’d married, but the fact he’d abandon the child he’d promised to love and support–that made Levi fucking livid.

Fortunately, Levi managed to finish up his work by 10. Past Isabel’s bedtime; but her little shit of a nanny was famous for letting her stay up to watch TV. Levi let it slide, although he had to make it clear that “no, Eren, a six year old really should not be watching Game of Thrones, what the fuck is wrong with you.”

Eren Jaeger was good, though. He’d started working for them years ago, back when Isabel was two. He’d been a kid trying to earn some money while he got his master’s in childhood education. The guy was amazing with kids, and Isabel adored him faster than Levi had ever seen Isabel like someone. She was usually the type to judge other people quickly and decide they weren’t worth her time–much like Levi.

After the divorce, though, Levi talked with Eren about the financial issues. Eren listened quietly. He had never really been a fan of the doctor—Levi’s husband had complained about Eren’s obvious distain for him since day one–so Eren didn’t look all that surprised when Levi told him about the situation. He just looked sad about it. And maybe a little angry.

“I won’t be able to pay you as much,” Levi had said, looking down at his daughter sleeping in his arms. “And you’ll probably have to work more. I’m not going to make you deal with that.”

“Wait. Are you firing me?” Eren asked, his green eyes wide with betrayal. Levi raised an eyebrow.

“I can’t pay you.” Levi said, almost amused. “I’m not firing you, I’m just telling you if you have a brain you’d quit.”

Eren understood then, and then tilted his head with a smile, teasingly. “And what? Stop seeing Isabel and your cute faces? Not on your life, Ackerman.”

Levi furrowed his brows, watching Eren stand up from the couch and grab his coat, seemingly deciding there was nothing more to discuss. “What are you saying?”

“You don’t have to worry about it.” Eren clarified, pulling his arm through his coat sleeve. “If you can’t pay me much, I don’t mind. I love spending time with Isabel and I…”

Eren hesitated, locking eyes with him, and then looked away. “No matter how steely and cold you act, I know you’re in a tough spot. I’ll do what I can to help.”

Levi tried to insist that literally that was the stupidest shit he’d ever heard, but Eren wouldn’t allow it. In the end, Levi really couldn’t turn down the offer. Isabel loved Eren, and, well, Levi didn’t mind him, either. He couldn’t help but wonder, though, why he’d do so much for them. Levi and Isabel were his job, not a family.

So Eren kept being Isabel’s nanny, and he put in even more work despite getting paid less. More than once, Levi had come home late to find everything in his house spotless, even when Isabel is the messiest child to ever grace the Earth (how she was Levi’s he had no idea). And along with this he’d find a home-cooked meal waiting for him, made with groceries Levi was certain Eren purchased himself, and never once had Levi mentioned the fact he rarely got dinner on his late nights. Somehow Eren just seemed to know he would starve himself without it.

And down the hall he’d find Isabel tucked in bed, her mop of brown hair the only thing he could see of her under her giant Disney princess blankets. Eren would be sitting in the white wooden chair by the window, finishing up the fairy tales he’d must’ve been reading to her on his own. Eren would look up and welcome Levi home, ask him about his day and let Levi rant to him about shitty offices and shitty bosses over a glass of cheap wine to take the edge off.

That was the average routine. Now there was the addition that Eren picked Isabel up from school for Levi, too. That was why Levi worked so damn much. He needed to earn enough to support Isabel and…well, _pay_ Eren. Hopefully soon he’d get promoted so maybe-just maybe, he’d get to see his crazy sunshine girl more too. He was sick of missing out on her obsessions, her antics, her obnoxious teasing, and even just seeing her toothy little smile.

So that night, Levi wasn’t surprised to see Eren and Isabel asleep together on the couch, the bright screen still flickering some brightly colored infomercial. Levi turned on the lamp on his end table. He looked at the sleeping pair, almost considering just sitting next to them and going to sleep himself. But instead he caught himself simply smiling down at them in the soft light. For a moment, he was really relieved that even if he comes home late, at least he has people to come home to.

“Hey, Eren,” Levi nudged the brunette awake, and he jolted upright, only just careful not to wake little girl with her head on his lap.

“Oh, Levi..” He rubbed his eyes, and instantly grew guilty. “Oh shit, I-I’m sorry, I had an report due today and I was still tired, I shouldn’t have let myself fall asleep while I’m—”

“It’s fine.” Levi cut him off. “You over work yourself as it is, idiot.”

Eren pressed his lips together, and finally exhaled, looking down at the snoozing Isabel. Finally, “…Would ya wanna carry her to bed for me?”

Levi nodded and scooped Isabel up. At least Eren managed to get her into her pajamas.

Levi came back and Eren hadn’t left the couch yet. He decided today was one of those days he could let himself have a beer.

Hey, you want a Redds?” Levi called into the living room. The only reply he earned was groan that sounded somewhat affirmative, so he took that as a yes. He grabbed two bottles from the top shelf and headed into the living room. Disney channel was on, playing the ending of Tarzan 2, which Levi had not previously know was an actual sequel that happened.

Eren had shut his eyes again, so Levi caught his attention by poking his cheek with the bottle. The brunette shook his head to wake up and took it appreciatively, his half-lidded eyes gazing up at him sleepily. Levi really couldn’t help finding that face and his messy bedhead kind of. Cute.

“You wanna crash here again tonight?” Levi asked, twisting off the cap. Eren took a sip of his drink with a smile.

“I’d hope so if you’re giving me alcohol.”

“C’mon, a 5% can’t even give you a buzz.” Levi said flatly as he shut off the TV. He wasn’t a fan of background noise.

“You wanna bet?” Eren challenged with a wild grin. “I’m the greatest light weight of my age!”

Levi pursed his lips. “You say that like it’s a good thing?”

Eren shrugged innocently, taking another swig of his drink.

“How was your day, by the way?” Levi asked, trying to mask his interest as he always had. Eren leaned back on the couch, his eyes locked on the ceiling in thought.

“Well, I picked Isabel up from school,” He began. “I think she’s been fighting with that blonde girl in her class again. Gets along with the other boys well enough though—or, uh, puts them in their place well enough.”

Eren continued to give the rundown of Isabel, from the car ride back to what activities they managed to do today, whether Isabel practiced reading as she was supposed to, and as glad Levi was to hear about it, and he needed to hear about it, he was surprised to feel disappointed. Not in what he was saying, but…

“Good.” Levi said. “But…What was your day? Before Isabel? You mentioned you were tired.”

For a split second Eren’s eyes were wide as saucers as he stared at Levi in bewilderment. But then his lips drew into a smile.

“You wouldn’t _believe_ how crazy it was.” Eren said. “I don’t know how I am possibly working this much.”

“I might be able to believe it,” Levi noted. And Eren rolled his eyes.

“Well okay, workaholic, you may _relate_.” He acknowledged. “But do you wait tables and have to deal with snobby middle-aged human resource managers telling you the exact temperature to bring their coffee? And then they give me these insults about how much better they are than me because I’m just a waiter, and I gotta just smile and take it instead of beating their fat faces in!”

Levi choked on his beer when he almost laughed. “It’s a wonder how you work as a waiter.”

“Oh my. God, I know.” Eren rubbed his forehead like he was remembering the headaches his customers were giving him that morning. “I can’t take it anymore. Once I finish graduate school I can get a _real_ freaking job instead of kissing up to gross old people for tips. I’ll have health care benefits and everything.”

“Yeah.” Levi said, trying to sound upbeat. “I’m happy for you.”

However, Levi failed, and Eren looked at the man with an obvious stab of guilt. Because Eren graduating meant he’d become a teacher, and he’d have a full time job and wouldn’t be taking care of Isabel anymore. And he wouldn’t be taking care of _Levi_ anymore. Because that’s all he’d been doing for the past few months.

“Levi, I uh… have a lot of fun with Isabel.” He said suddenly, picking at the paper label on his drink. He wouldn’t look at Levi. “And, don’t take this the wrong way, but this is a sorry excuse for a job anymore.”

Levi reared back like he’d been hit, but he should’ve expected him to finally say something like that eventually. Even Eren would feel that way. “Yeah, sorry. I shouldn’t be taking advantage of your service—”

“Holy _shit_ , are you still talking like that?” Eren chuckled a bit, confusing the shit out of Levi.

“The hell do you mean?”

“This isn’t a job, not anymore.” Eren admitted, looking at the ground. “Even if you ended up dead broke and couldn’t pay me a cent, I would come. You and Isabel mean the world to me. I wouldn’t leave.”

Levi felt a tug in his chest, and he glanced down the hall. “She really means that much to you?”

Eren grabbed Levi’s chin and made him look back at him. “Both of you do. You matter to me, too, Levi. I’d never leave you.”

Even after that, it didn’t really click until Eren leaned in close, his eyes on Levi’s lips. Why he did so much. Why he seemed angry when he heard about the divorce, why he never left when money was tight.

Eren kissed him, all soft and chaste and nothing Levi was expecting, and when Eren pulled away, it felt like it was over much too soon.

“…How long?” Was the first thing Levi managed to say under Eren’s intense gaze. Only because with this suddenly in his face and how oblivious he’d been, he didn’t want to stay in the dark about anything else. As for Eren, he laughed in response.

“Oh dear God, too long to be proud of.” Eren remarked, and Levi could understand that. At least Eren had the tact to realize when he cared about someone, unlike Levi, apparently.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Levi raised his eyebrows, too aware of the proximity between them.

“Nope.”

So Levi tilted his head and went in for another kiss. He felt Eren’s lips smile against his before he kissed back a little more hungrily, like maybe he really was the greatest light weight of the late 20s aged men. Tentatively, Levi’s hands brushed up to Eren’s neck, and he used that as a chance to close their distance. It seemed so out of no where, but maybe that was because Levi was a damned idiot and never notices people’s feelings.

But Levi definitely liked this, and wanted it. Everything had been so weird for so long, but Eren had been the stability he needed. And just as Levi was going to scoot closer, a small, sleep-filled voice said,

“Dad?”

Eren pushed himself off Levi as fast as humanly possible, and Levi gaped like a deer in headlights at his daughter standing in the hall. Of course.

“Uh, Isabel, you, ah,” He looked at Eren for help, but the shithead apparently was acting innocent, sitting back and reading a random magazine he’d picked up off the end table as if he hadn’t been about to devour Levi’s mouth in a way a six year old should not witness less than three seconds earlier.

Levi got up from the couch, smacking Eren’s head as he walked past and mumbled, “I’m going to get you for this, brat.”

“And I’m waiting patiently.” Eren replied, leaving Levi to roll his eyes. He walked over to his daughter, her eyes still sleepy. She looked so tired still she might not even remember getting up.

“You should be sleeping, Izzy.” Levi told her as he walked her back to bed. He started smoothing out her bedsheets and spread as she climbed on the bed.

“Bu-ahh,” She began with an interruptive yawn, “Ernie said I could stay up ‘til you got home.”

“His name is Eren,” Levi pointed out, as he always did when she called him her little nickname. he pulled the blankets back so Isabel could climb in bed. She sighed indignantly.

“I _know_ , but Ernie is funnier.” Isabel argued. “And it makes him mad and its funny!”

Levi smirked. He was going to have to teach this girl to keep her outward insults to herself one day. Well, maybe he’d leave that to Eren to do, although neither of them were good at that. “You got me there, kiddo.”

He leaned down to kiss her forehead goodnight when she asked the inevitable after what she saw, “Is Eren going to be my Dad too, now?”

Levi watched her wide eyes, wondering what answer it was that she wanted. He wasn’t even sure, really. Eren was more of a father than Levi’s ex husband had ever been. But to say something like that so soon? Although just now, the way he’d said it, _I’ll never leave_.

“I don’t know.” He confessed honestly. “But he won’t be leaving. He’s staying for a long time.”

Isabel closed her eyes and nodded. “That’s good.”

Levi got up from her bedside and told her as he did every day, “Good night, I love you.”

“Love you too.” She replied drowsily, and Levi shut the light off so she could fall asleep with her little pink nightlight. Levi remembered it like only yesterday she had to sleep with him every night just to fall asleep. She was becoming such an independent little girl.

When Levi went back to the living room, Eren was already beginning to doze off again. He stepped over to the side of the room carefully and picked up a couple blankets that he spread over Eren’s body sprawled out on the couch sloppily. He opened his eyes, and he managed a drowsy smile that made Levi’s heart skip.

“Levi, could we…” He began to suggest something, but Levi shhed him by dropping a spare pillow on his face.

“You have work in the morning,” Levi reminded him. “You aren’t staying up an extra second.”

Eren pulled the pillow off his face so Levi could see his miserable pout, but the man only leaned over the couch to give him a quick kiss on the forehead. “We can talk later. Goodnight, idiot.”

Eren shut his eyes and nodded, accepting his fate. “Okay.”

Levi went to his room after shutting out all the lights, but he didn’t get a blink of sleep. But not for the usual reasons, like being anxious over bills, or having nightmares, or just thinking too much about answers he didn’t have to his endless problems.

But instead, it was because he couldn’t stop thinking about Isabel and Eren, and the fact that despite the money, despite all the shit that’d been thrown at them the past year…

Maybe they were really moving on to better things.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
